A tarmac driveway goes past a little garden shed on its way to a car parking area, laid out around a tree on the north side of the property. A low, curved wall, illuminated at night, has a central opening leading down to the house via a few steps, flanked by the vegetation. Four maple trees border the east side of the property. The rectangular, exposed stone house, with dressed stone surrounds framing its openings, is topped with a low, gable roof, covered with terracotta tiles. On the east side, the slope of the roof is extended on a slightly lower level by a lean-to roof. The north-east corner of the building is enhanced with a square tower, with dressed stone quoins, looking down on to the property. Two roof slopes on the west side are lower. The south side features a veranda, looking out over the surrounding undulating countryside of the south Charente department. A few metres further away, a swimming pool and its olive tree are in a dominant position.

The house

The ground floor
A stairway in the cosy entrance hall, its floor heated via the old tiles, goes up to the first floor. Although the openings on the west and east sides open into bedrooms, the bedroom on the east side is contrasted with its grey north wall ideal for sleeping. It is followed by a little room, laid out as a study in the tower, preceding a dressing room which is followed by a bathroom in the south-east corner. Once again, tribute is paid to the natural surroundings by an east-facing French window opening on to them. On the west side of the entrance hall, a corridor with a stone-paved floor provides access, on one side, to a toilet as well as a large open cupboard and, on the other side, to a bathroom, with light-coloured tiles enhancing the chestnut wood flooring, and to two very bright bedrooms at the end. The vestibule leads, straight on, to a lounge, its walls extending up to the roof, where its exposed framework, against a white background, takes pride of place, together with a fireplace. The floor is laid with chestnut wood parquet flooring. The interior white walls contrast with the outside walls, next to the fireplace on the east side and the exposed quarry stone blocks on the side of the south-facing veranda. An opening, on one side of the living room, leads to a kitchen, with three hues of brown in its floor tiles. Its white units reflect the southern Atlantic light which predominantly floods in via the large door opening on to the veranda, with its wooden framework. A laundry room, on the west side, has a south-facing French window. Three steps provide access to the glazed extension, a bright area looking out over the undulating landscape from three of its sides. The floor tiles here also reflect three hues of brown. The house wall is composed of exposed stone and dressed stone surrounds frame the openings. A living room winter and summer alike, it looks out into the distance and gives access to the swimming pool in a few seconds via its large glazed door.
The first floor
The luminosity is increased upstairs via the skylights. A few steps go up from the entrance hall to the mezzanine landing on this level. A little lounge, laid out on one side, is illuminated via a central skylight. It looks down on to the main lounge and its fireplace. The space on the other side is divided into a bedroom and a bathroom. The tower, however, is reached via an open stairway going up from the ground floor study. It houses a little room, ideal for meditation. This could be used as a study or even a spare bedroom. With windows facing south and east, it is very bright under a white pavilion roof.